Eastern Connecticut schools show mixed progress in test scores

The latest statewide test results, released Thursday, showed uneven progress among local schools.

The state Department of Education has changed its scorecard for school and school district performances based on the results of the Connecticut Mastery Test, taken this spring by fourth-, sixth- and eighth-graders, and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test, taken by 10th-graders.

Students were tested in reading, math, science and writing.

For the first time, each school in the state is classified as — from highest to lowest — excelling, progressing, transitioning, review, focus or turnaround. A little more than half the schools statewide met individual targets, Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor said.

In addition, top-performing schools and schools that showed the most progress are listed as schools of distinction.

Baldwin Middle School and Preston Plains School also were named schools of distinction.

Although its scores were lower than the others, Thomas W. Mahan Elementary School in Norwich was named a school of distinction, as well, because of its improved performance from the previous year.

Norwich and Windham are among the state’s 10-lowest performing districts, and although some gains were made, their overall scores remain low.

“I’m happy about everywhere we made progress,” said Abby Dolliver, Norwich superintendent of schools. “Mahan and Huntington, they are high-performing schools.”

Of Norwich’s nine schools, Mahan and Samuel Huntington Elementary School were labeled progressing. Teachers’ Memorial Middle School was called transitioning. Kelly Middle School, Uncas Elementary School, Wequonnoc Elementary School and John B. Stanton Elementary School were categorized as review schools. John M. Moriarty and Veterans’ Memorial Elementary Schools were called focus schools.

For the past two years, Stanton has been one of four schools statewide to receive extra resources to improve its pupils’ performance. Stanton’s designation improved from focus the year before.

“Stanton School met its target,” Dolliver said. “We continue to be not great, but in a lot of areas, we are making progress. ... People want to continue the hard work they’ve been doing.”

Killingly is an Alliance District, meaning it is among the state’s 30 lowest-performing. The designation allows it to receive extra money from the state. All four of its schools were listed as transitioning.

“There was not anything surprising,” Killingly Superintendent William Farr said. “I’m satisfied with the results.”

Putnam also is listed among the state’s 30 lowest-performing districts. Putnam Elementary School was listed as progressing, and Putnam Middle School and Putnam High School were listed as transitioning. All three schools met their individual targets for improvement.

“We’re pretty pleased with what we saw,” Putnam Superintendant of Schools William Hull said. “Our trajectory is moving in the right direction.”

Norwich Free Academy and Woodstock Academy are privately run high schools that serve public school students from their surrounding towns. Woodstock Academy was rated as progressing. NFA was called transitioning.

“Overall, Woodstock Academy was happy with the number,” Headmaster Chris Sanford said. “It validates the hard work that students and staff are doing.”

“Just as no one grade on a student’s report card accurately assesses the total student, no one set of specific data from a paper-and-pencil test administered in grade 10 adequately represents the value of a four-year NFA education,” spokesman Geoff Serra wrote in an emailed statement.

“Our high school scores went up, which we’re pleased with,” Griswold Superintendent Paul Smith said. “Our middle and elementary school kind of reflect the statewide trend of dropping a little bit.”

Last spring was the final time most Connecticut students will take the Mastery Test. Public schools are adopting a new nationwide curriculum called Common Core. Next spring, when students are tested again, most will take the Smarter Balanced field test, which will test what they’ve learned studying the new curriculum.

Most school districts are teaching the Common Core curriculum this year to prepare.

“We’re putting all our emphasis in the Smarter Balanced field test,” Smith said.

Colchester began teaching the Common Core last year, however, Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Mathieu said.

“We’re all in a different place in how closely we’re invested in the Common Core,” he said. “We did it 100 percent because we know what the future is.”